Camera-supporting means



May 24,1927. 1,629,579 H. o. LANGLEY CAMERA SUPPORTING MEANS FiledNolv.2l. l925 J1/wanton Patented May 24, 1927.

gtirfIiTfED' STTS;

HERMAN-Osman LAGL'EY, on STAII'B'ANS; G'Amin'ns. NEW Yia'x.

CAMERA-SUPORTING IVIES k.ifipucauoii iednovember 21, i925; seriaifNarasio.

The invention.relates to camera support-- ing means and particularly toimproved devicesby which cameras or similar instrument-s may be mountedupon and secured to a; tripod or stand. Y y f, f

`In eom'molijpractice when a. camera is te be mounted upon atri-pod7V itis simply posi-` tioned thereon and secured in position by meansx of thecentral screw'vvith' Whichthe tripod is provided; unsatisfactorybecaus'erof .the fact that it is diflicult to quickly bring the screwinto con-r nection with its co-acting threaded'socket andbecause thecamera will: notlbe securely held in position on thetripod While makingangular adjustment of the camera andl before thescrew` has beentightened.l

An object of the inventionV is the provision of simple and effectivemeans Whereby the camera' may be mounted quickly and? easily in asupported positionvuponV the tripod or stanchin which position it mayrbe rotated to any desired angular extentrelative to they tripod and inwhich position it may be firmly secured.

jEhis is accomplished by providingone of' thetwoco-actingelements, suchas the tripod head or stand,` VWithl an undercut guide-Way terminatingin al semi-circular portion. The other (2o-acting member, such:

asthe camera7 is providedwith a .circular stepped plate adaptedtobeiinserted'in'this guide-*Way and slidlate'rally intofpositionv inwhich the' stepped plate rotatably engages with the semi-circular endfportion of the guide-Way, the stepped plate having a' portion of largerdiameter Whichfslidably engages beneaththe overhai'igingportion of theguide-Way. n. lVlientlie parts arethus mountedin c act-ing relation, thecamera maybe' freely rotated intoV any desired angular position withoutthe necessity lofoperating anyv levers Ori' screws or other auxiliaryparts.'-

lWhen the camera is thus adjusted intoits desired angular positiom it4may be firmly.'

and Vlixe'dly secured in suchjposition by means ofaa suitable device forclamping vthe parts to`g'ether. may be the usual screw with which' alltripods. are provided,1or a similar screujk extending upwardly throughan v axial openiiigin thehea'd of the tripod, ivliic'h'isAoneedgeoftli'e' saine aiidtermmating" in senil-circular portion 8concentric with afdapte'dto bind thel enacting. parts, namely thecircular` stepped plate and the guide- T his operation is often,

c a small movement This clamping L device Wayin whichtliesaine-isslidably-y mounted, hrinly` together. .ln the .preferred forniof construction 4the necessity of'V having aligned openingsfin the partsattachedpto the camera andy the.tripochfthrougli'jwhicn' theciampingscrew mayl be passedg'fis done afwaywitmitlie upper endjof the clampingscrew, or an abutment engagedrthereby bear"-N ing against'fthe' steppeddisc tov vpressfthe same ii'rmly against the overhanging portionof theguideiva'y in Whichf it is seated.'V An ,extremely simple and@readilyfadjusted device is thereby provided since it isnierely necessaryto position' the camera in de-V sired angular relation upon't-lietripodhead and thenv tighten Ythe clamping screw withV to' bindv the ypartsfirmly together.- v u y d 5:1 Y

The invention .coiisists'in lthe combinationsof parts kand details ofconstruction employed in andvcomprising such a device as ivilll bemorefullyset` forth in the folloiv-4 ing: specification and'be.,particularly pointed'I outuvinthe appended claims.

In order that the invention may beniorev clearly understood attentionlis hereby called'- to gthe accompanying drawings forming". part of thisapplication andlillustrating oneembodiment'4 ofthe invention."

Inl the drawings F ig. yl' is-A a central-ver,` tical sectionr through a'camera' mounted uponal tripod head parts beingsho'iv'n` in sideelevation' and other parts being brokenaivay; and Y VFig/2 is ahorizontal section taken on the 'Y line 2er-2 Vof Figifl;

Referring t0 the drawings'the tripod'Aheadl il of' the'gu'sualcylindrical form is shown" asprovided'with the usual brackets 2 byWhich'rtlie tripod legs may be secured'tlire- 95 to.: A metal faceplateV Sis" showfnas' mounted uponthe' headr 1,"u`pon which yis mounfa'ed a plate LWithaplate 5 extending there oven' plates 3 4 and 5 beingsc'uredlimmovably to tripod'he'ad 1` by suitablenieans such'asthe screws6.V Plate 3 is''preferably` f formed O'f'comparatively thin cmetal"l so`as to havea ycertain amount"ofresiliencyffor a purpo'sel hereinafterdescribed.

Plates" 3,' 4 and opreferably have circularV outer peripheries in"aligninentl with 'the'v outer circular edge ofthe stand li Plate' 5. 1sprovided' W1tli` a slo't T extending from tripod head 1 and plates 3, 4and 5. Plate 4 is cut away in a similar manner so that its inner edge asindicated at 9 will be parallel to the guide-way 7 of plate 5 but with alarger radius of curvature. Plates and 4, therefore, provide what may betermed an undercut guide-way terminating in a semi-circular seat-ingportion.

One of the two elements to be secured to" get-her, such as thetripodhead, being provided with the guide-way described, the otherco-acting member, such as the camera, is provided with means adapted tobe inserted into the guide-way. This means is shown in the drawings assecured to the bottom of the camera 10. As is shown in the drawings thebottom plate 11 of the camera may have a cylindrical stepped plate 12secured axially thereto by suitable means such as the screw. 13. Thestepped plate referred to by reference character 12 may, of course, beformed as an integral yconstruction or as two plates of differentdiameter, onesecured upon the other, an integral construction beingshown in the drawings. As there shown the stepped plate comprises aportion'12 of one diameter, adjacent to the bottom plate 11 of thecamera, and a portion 12b of larger diameter, further away from theplate 11 of the camera.

When the ca'mera is to be mounted upon the tripod the stepped disc 12will be inserted through the open end of the guidewvay 7 9. The outerend of this guide-way preferably flares or curves outwardly as isindicated at 14, 142%, so that the stepped disc 12 may be insertedtherein very quickly and easily. When the stepped disc has been pushedinto its final position in the guideway the portion 12b of the discoflarger diameter will extend under the overhanging semi-circularportion-of the guide-way 7 with the portion 12a of the stepped discrotatably engaging within the semi-circular portion of guide-way 7, bothportions 12L and 12b of the stepped disc preferably rotatably engagingagainst the semi-circular inner walls of plates 5 and 4. rllhe partspreferably are designed to have a fairly close fit so that the steppeddisc will fit snugly in operative position but so that the camera mayreadily be rotated into any desired angular position.

The camera may be very readily and quicky secured firmly in an adjustedposition by a suitable clamping device which preferably takes the formof a Iscrew Vextending axially upwards through thehead'of the tripod,similar to the clamping screws with which all the usual makes of tripodheads are provided. As shown the tripod head 1 may be provided with anaxial openingwithin which is firmly mounted a bushing 15, which may besecured in position in any desired manner as by the screws 15a threadedas is indicated at 16.

which are shown as extendingV through a flange formed on the bushinginto the tripod hea'd 1. The bushing is preferably internally A screw 17is mounted within the bushing 15 and may be provided at its lower endwith Va knurled head 18.V rllurning this screw in the proper directionto move it upwardlycauses pressure to be transmitted by the upper end ofthescrew, to press the lower, larger portion, 12b, of the stepped disc12, upwardly against the overhanging portion of the guide-way thereforformed by plate 5. Y

Preferably this pressure is transmitted by means of the plate 3 which asshown is fas tened to the upper surface of the tripod head 1. In thepreferred construction this plate 3 extends uninterruptedly above theupper end of the screw 17 and the pressure exerted by screw 17 to plate'3 is transmitted thereby to the stepped disc and serves to force thesame upwardly against plate 5 as stated, plate 3 being somewhatresilient.

Preferably the upper end of the screw is provided with a head orenlargement so that the pressure of the screw will be applied to alarger area of the plate 3 than would be the case if the end of thescrew 'it self were permitted to bear directly against a point on plate3. In the preferred form of 'construc-A tion bushing 15 is provided atits upper end with a portion 15b of enlarged diameter within which ismounted a disc 19 which is shown as surrounding an upper end portion 2Oof screw 17, the same being of reduced diameter. It will be evident thatthe upward pressure of screw 17 is applied to sheet 3 by means of thedisc or head-19. Disc 19 mayl be pinned or otherwise secured to portion2O of the screw if desired, in which ca'se itl will constitute apositive means to prevent the screw from being entirely unscrewed fromits opening in bushing 15 and possibly lost; or if desired thel disc 19may be loosely mounted upon thel reduced portion 2O of the screw, inwhich case reliance is placed upon the somewhat extended threadedbearing for the screw in bushing 15, to prevent the screw from beingentirely unscrewed and possibly lost. Y

It will be noted that the device provides an extremely quick, simpleandy effective, means for securingthe camera in position on" the tripodhea'd in any desired position and for removing the same therefrom. Whenthe camera is to be placed in: position, the converging outer portionsof the guide-way make it an easy matter to slide the stepped plate intoposition. p tion of the guide-way is preferably'ofthe The semi-circularpor-r same radius of curvature as the steppedplate, preferably bothportions. 12a and 12b of the stepped plate having` rotative engagementwith the corresponding semi-circular portions of the guide-way so that asubstantial rotative bearing isfprovided. `Vilhen theV stepped plate isthus seated in position angu- V lar adjustment of tlievcamera canU-bemade lli i tails of construction which have been broadly, described, thescope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure Y by Letters Patent is: Y

l. In instrument supporting means, the combination of an instrument anda base member upon which the same is adapted to be detachably supported,said base member having an undercut guide-way extending Vlaterallythereof and terminating in a semicircular portion, and said instrumenthaving a circular stepped plate fixed thereto, adapted to'be inserted insaid guideway with the larger diameter thereof beneath the overhangingportion of said guideway, said plate being adapted to rotatably fit insaid semi-circular guideway portion, said base member having an upwardlyextending,

opening therethrough, and clamping means manually operable in saidopening, to press upwardly against said stepped plate to bind tlie samefirmly against t-lie overhanging portion of said guideway.

2. In instrument supporting means, the combination of an instrument anda base member upon which the same is adapted yto be detachablysupported, said base member having an undercut guideway extendinglaterally thereof and terminating in a'seniicircular portion, and saidinstrument having a circular stepped plate fixed thereto,

adapted to be inserted in said guideway with.

the larger diameter thereof beneath the overhanging portion of saidguideway, said plate being adapted to rotatably t-in said semi-`circular guideway portion, saidV base mem- .ber having a screw-threadedopening extending upwardly therethrough, and a clamping screw threadedin said opening, adapted to transmit pressure upwardly against Vsaidstepped plate to bind the same firmly against the overhanging portion ofsaid guideway.

3. In instrument supporting means, the combination of an instrument Aanda base member upon which the same isadapted to be detachably supported,a `bearing plate secured on said base member, undercut guideway meanssecured on said" bearing plate, comprising an under portionand anoverlianging portion formedto provide a laterally extending guidewayterminating in a semi-circular portion, a-stepped "plate fixed to said;instrumentpladapted to vbe inserted in said guideway with the .largerportion thereof beneath Vthe overha-ngiiig portion of the guideway,`said base member liaivingfjan upwardly extending opening therethroughterminating Yat the Ylower-'surface of said bearing plate, and. clampingmeans operable' in said opening to press upwardly against said bearingplate and transmit pressure thereby to said stepped plate to clamp thelatter against the overhanging portion of said guideway. v

4. In instrument supporting means, the

combination of an instrument and a base member upon which the sameis-adapted to be detachably supported, a bearing platesecured on saidbase member, undercut guideway means secured on said bearing plate,comprising an under portion and an over` hanging portion formed toprovide a laterally extending 'guideway terminating in a semi-circularportion, a stepped plate fixed Vto said instrument, adapted to beinserted in said guideway with the larger portion thereof beneath theoverliangiiig portion of Y the guideway, said base member having anupwardly extending threaded opening therein, and a screw threaded insaid opening adapted to exert pressure against said bearing plate andtransmit pressure thereby to said stepped plate to clamp the latteragainst the overlianging portion of said guideway.

5. In instrument supporting means, the combination of an instrument anda base member upon which the saine is 4adapted to be detachablysupported, one of said elements having an immovable undercut guidewayextending laterally thereof and terminating in a semi-circular portion,and the other of the same having a stepped plate fixed thereto adaptedto be yinserted in said guideway with the larger portion thereof beneaththe overliangiiig portion of said guideway, saidplate being adapted torotatably fit'in said semi-circular guideway portion, said base memberhaving an upwardly extending opening therein, a bushing in said opening,the lower portion of the opening through the bushing being threaded andthe upper part being enlarged, a screw threaded combination of aniiistiuinent and a basek member upon which the saine is adaptedto bedetachably supported, said elements having plates secured thereto,forming inthe case of oneelement, an undercut guideway extendinglaterally ofthe element andterininating in an enlargedportion, andforining, iny the case ofthe other element, aV stepped plate adapted tobe inserted in said guideway with the larger portion thereof beneath theoverhanging portion of the guideway, said plate being` rotatable in saidenlarged guideWay portion, Said base meinber having an opening extendingupwardly therein, and clamping means manually operable in said opening,adapted to exert pressure' upwardly on one of said plates to bind saidstepped plate firmly againstV its seat in saidguideway. p

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this Specification. Y

HERMAN O. LANGLEY.

